Recycling car batteries

Recycling car batteries is not as popular as it should be. When you think of the battery in most cases you would not consider it environmentally friendly.

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I worked in several used-car lots where we used reconditioned batteries exclusively. We would pay $15-$25 in some cases for a reconditioned battery that would last for several years.

Although the gentleman that we bought the batteries from was in it for the money and not to save the environment he was actually doing both. In some cases he was paid to dispose of the batteries or received them at no charge.

It did take some labor to properly recondition them and in some cases he would renew the electrolyte and acid. But when purchased in bulk these were quite inexpensive. This allowed his battery reconditioning business to work on large profit margins.

When to recycle a car battery

car battery

Whenever an automotive battery is replaced the old one should be recycled. Most battery shops and car parts stores will accept old batteries for recycling and some will even pay a few dollars per battery.

An interesting fact is that often the battery acid is actually neutralized and converted into sodium sulfate that is used in many laundry detergents.

The plastic from the battery case is usually melted down and recycled similar to other plastics. The lead that is contained in the battery and accounts for 50% of the total battery can be melted down and poured into slabs and then purified.

Battery Service

This lead can then be used to make new batteries, wheel weights for tire balancing, bullets and even fishing weights.

The fact that many parts of a car battery can be recycled has placed some additional value on this commonly replaced automotive component.

If you go into an auto parts store and buy a new battery they may charge you a $5-$10 core charge that will be refunded to you when you return the old battery. This is to provide motivation for recycling car batteries properly.